This invention relates to a method and apparatus for making a cut. Specifically it relates to a method and an apparatus that may be used to make a precise cut from an actual work piece rather than by trial and effort. Cuts in wood or other materials are made with a cutting tool that removes less material than needed. Consequently a cut is comprised of multiple passes for the desired result.
Trial and effort methods have been used, but these require a number of trials and efforts before the cut is complete. The method is time consuming and prone to error as it depends on the woodcutter's skill. The present invention gauges the actual material thickness and allows the user to precisely cut a mating groove or dado without measuring the exact width of the gauged material. It does not require trial and effort methods but makes a cut the first time that is precise and repeatable. The present invention also makes a calibration of the kerf width that is precisely equal to the actual kerf width.
Woodworkers make notches, grooves, dados, lap joints, etc., with cutters (primarily saw blades, dado blades and router bits) that are smaller than the actual groove required for the intended fit. Therefore, multiple cuts are required to create the desired width of the notch, groove, dado, lap joints, etc. This is done through trial and effort and is mistake prone. This invention removes the trial and effort and the resultant mistakes by allowing the user to make the two most important cuts, those that define the shoulder spacing by simply gauging the width of the stock that is to be inserted into the mating groove/dado, etc.
Traditionally, the ability of a craftsman to create grooves, dados and other joints where two pieces of stock are joined together is accomplished by making multiple cuts with a cutter/saw that creates a kerf smaller than the mating stock. Therefore a series of cuts are required, each enlarging the groove/dado until the desired width matches the mating stock. This method is achieved with trial and effort and relies on the skill of the craftsperson for accurate results. This method is time consuming and error prone.
This invention eliminates trial and effort and waste. The tool gauges the stock width with calipers or an actual block wood. Then it acts as a flip stop (or reversible stop) on any machine that makes a kerf. The results are predictable, reliable and allow the craftsperson to save time and reduce waste from mistakes.
This invention relies on the principle that each cutting tool makes a predictable kerf width (saws, router bits, etc.) that can be measured empirically or with precision measuring devices such as dial/digital calipers or other gauging methods (gauge pins for example). Once this distance (kerf width) is known, it can be used as an offset in the present invention and locked in place. This one time calibration is accurate until the cutting tool is sharpened or replaced whereby this process would need to be repeated. Once the present invention is calibrated to the particular kerf of a cutter, it is used as follows:
The craftsperson gauges the thickness of the stock that is going to mate in a groove or dado and locks the tool to this setting - - - there is no measuring. The tool creates two stops that embrace the work piece. These are transferred to a first abutment face that is on the end of the first slide and a third abutment face on the end of the third slide so that the first and third abutment faces extend one beyond another the exact distance of the stock that is going to mate in a groove or dado.
The tool is first put on one side with all the slides engaging the table. The first kerf is cut in the work piece. Then the tool is flipped or reversed and a second kerf is cut in the work piece. The exact distance between outsides of the first and second kerfs is equal to the distance of the stock that is going to mate in the groove or dado. This will enable the user to create extremely accurate grooves or dados without skill or trial and effort. The distance between the first and second kerfs is routed out and the cut is complete.
Therefore a primary object of the present invention is the making of a method and apparatus that makes a precise cut the first time.
A further object of the present invention is a method and apparatus that when placed on one side produces a first kerf and when placed on the other side produces a second kerf wherein the distance between the first kerf and the second kerf is precisely the same as a desired cut.
A further object of the present invention is the making of a method and apparatus that includes a slide assembly comprising a first slide having a first abutment, a second slide, and a third slide having a third abutment. The slide assembly having the third abutment face protrudes beyond the first abutment exactly the same as the desired cut.
A further object of the present invention is the making of a method and apparatus that includes a first stop on the first slide and a second stop on the second slide oppositely positioned with respect to the first stop, and a block of wood between the first stop and the second stop. A third abutment surface the end of the third slide extends beyond a first abutment surface on the end of the first slide exactly equal to the thickness of the block of wood.
A further object of the present invention is the making of a method and apparatus wherein a slide assembly is in an initial position and then is reversed or flipped to a reversed position.
A further object of the present invention is the making of a method and apparatus wherein a first slide extends beyond the third slide a distance that is exactly equal to a kerf's width.
A further object of the present invention is the making of a method and apparatus wherein a board is ripped and cross-cut to calibrate a rectangular piece that is a kerf width short and a window piece having a window and a shortened window edge. The rectangular piece is put into the window. The first abutment is placed on the rectangular piece and the third abutment is placed on the shortened window edge whereby the distance between the first and third abutment pieces is exactly equal to the kerf width.
A further object of the present invention is the making of a method and apparatus wherein the three slides are efficient, attractive in appearance, and made economically.